The Gideon Putnam to reopen May 1 with renovated guest rooms, bathrooms and many other restored features

The Gideon Putnam to reopen May 1 with renovated guest rooms, bathrooms and many other restored features

The Gideon Putnam, the historic hotel in Saratoga Spa State Park that closed Jan. 15 after major basement flooding from a water main break, is set to reopen May 1 with new utility systems and renovated guest rooms, bathrooms, corridors, restaurant and lobby.

Delaware North, which operates the hotel for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, determined it could use the opportunity of the hotel being closed due to the flood damage to simultaneously undertake all of the guest room and corridor renovations that had been planned in phases for over the next several years. Delaware North is working with a number of contractors and vendors on the system repairs and restoration work.

Guest rooms at The Gideon Putnam were among recent renovations, following damage from a water main break in January.

“We had to pump out hundreds of thousands of gallons of water and clear areas of the basement that were covered in over 2 feet of mud,” said Paul Jeppson, east regional vice president of Delaware North’s parks and resorts business. “It took time to assess the true scope of the damage to the utilities and infrastructure and how long it would take to replace the boilers, electrical switch gear and other components of the hotel.

Once we established the timeline for the infrastructure repairs, we decided to go ahead with the guest-facing projects. In combination with the other renovations that we have completed in recent years, our guests will now be staying in an almost fully renovated, elegant and historic hotel,” he said.

The nearby Roosevelt Baths & Spa has remained open as it was not affected by the water main break.

Renovations to The Gideon Putnam include:
• Guest Rooms: All 124 guest rooms have received new carpeting, paint and blinds, as well as renovations to the bathrooms.

• Guest Room Corridors: The guest room corridors have received a complete make over, including new carpeting, wall coverings and paint, and new light fixtures have made the corridors much more inviting. Artwork by local artist Frankie Flores has been installed on three floors, and photos of Saratoga’s past adorn the walls. The new color scheme is contemporary yet incorporates the Art Deco geometric design as a connection to The Gideon Putnam’s history.

• Putnam’s Restaurant: New carpeting is being installed and other enhancements are being made in Putnam’s restaurant.

• Lobby: Areas of the hotel’s lobby are being painted and restored. Delaware North in 2017 completed a $1.25 million renovation of the hotel’s large ballroom and lobby space outside it.

In all, Delaware North has spent more than $10 million since 2008 on improvements to the rooms, corridors, meeting spaces, restaurant, lobby, and the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.